Dare You To Move
by iheartremus
Summary: An AU of what could have happened to Sai. The song is Dare You To Move, by Switchfoot. Standalone.


A/N: Only my second HikaGo fic...meant as a standalone. And quite A/U...if Sai hadn't killed himself...  
  
The song is Dare You to Move' by Switchfoot.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Hikaru no Go, or Dare You to Move' by Switchfoot. They are the property of their creators, which unfortunatly is not me.  
  
se ga hikui (--)  
  
_Welcome to the planet  
Welcome to existance  
  
_Fujiwarano Sai looked about his surroundings. The palace was beautiful, and serene. Everything seemed perfect as he placed his next stone. The emperor was surely not as skilled as him, but the tutor smiled as he thought of how far his student had come.  
_  
Everyone's here  
Everyone's here  
  
_The palace was where the people were. Everyone of note was there, and Sai was elated to be included in that elite few. Even more than being around the people, the go tutor reveled in being allowed to play go no matter what the hour. As he caressed the slate stone, he was oblivious to the world; only his game existed.  
_  
Everybody's watching you now.  
Everybody waits for you now.  
  
_But no matter how much he played, Sai could not escape the reality of life. In truth, he was not the only tutor for the emperor, and he feared the other's harshness. Sai was gentle in nature, and loved to watch his students grow and progress, while the only other man equal to him in strength loved his position because of the power that came with it.  
  
The two would only acknowledge eachother with the niceties of necessity, and then carry on with their day. Sai could not abide the his cruelty, and the other thought himself at a higher level than him.  
_  
What happens next?  
What happens next?  
  
_Sai knew that one day there would be a confrontation, but for now he lived as blissfully as he could, nurturing the Emperor's strength. Day by day, the two teachers clashed more and more violently, and day by day the scene for a confrotnation began to form. On the day that his rival decided that the Emperor needed but one tutor, Sai began to worry. Would he come out the victor? If he lost, what would happen to him? Would he be cast aside like yesterday's rubbish? Would he still be able to reside in the palace? _  
  
I dare you to move.  
I dare you to move.  
  
_That day had now come. As Sai sat before the goban, he looked at his stones. Things were equal for both of them right about now; he could see no certain victory for either. One moment, and it would seem as if he was able to find a path to make victory more secure, and the second he was fighting for his life.  
_  
Dare you lift youself up off the floor.  
  
_In the heat of the game, Sai saw his escape. There was a way for him to secure a victory, but it would be difficult. Placing his next stone, he waited for his opponents response.  
_  
Dare you to move  
Dare you to move  
  
_The next move enhanced his plan. So far his opponent had not discovered this obsure pathway through the swampy murk of a loss. He would have to tread lightly on this path, or he would slip and fall into darkness.  
_  
Like today never happened  
Today never happened  
Before.  
  
_He wished that his opponent's anger could have laid dormant for yet a while. He wished that for a while yet he could have remained in happiness in court, without this monsterous game to be played. However, now he could clearly see his victory. It lay only a few moves ahead of him._  
  
Welcome to the fallout  
Welcome to resistance.  
  
_But while staring at the hands of his opponents, he noticed something strange. There was a single white stone lodged among the opposite pieces of slate. Instead of announcing this mistake, and handing it over to Sai, one long, bony hand waited for the opportune moment, and then slipped it into his captured stones. Eyes widened, the tutor in the white robe was about to announce this treachery, but as he opened his mouth, the exact words he had been planning came back to him.  
  
Silence, both of you. I do not wish to even think that this sort of thing happened in my presence. Continue on.  
  
Sai choked back disbelief. He was expected to play on after such a catestrophic event? However, he could not deny the Emperor. He played on.  
_  
The tension is here  
The tension is here  
  
_His opponent had now seen his last escape. A victory was now out of the question for him.  
  
  
_  
Between who you are and who you could be  
Between how it is and how it should be  
  
_Being now branded a cheater, and having lost the game as well, Sai was forced to leave the court, and the region. Nothing was left for him there, and he could no longer play the game that he loved. He ran from his former home, robes ripping, and hat flying. For a while, he made his home by the river. His livelihood was gone; there was nothing left for him. He had no food, no shelter, no clothing, and no company.  
  
Kami-sama, what have I done? What have I done to deserve this?  
  
Many times he cried out to his god, but never recieved any answer.  
  
Have I been selfish? Have I become too prideful?_  
  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
  
_I repent, Kami-sama. I repent of being selfish, I repent of my pride. I'm coming to see you now.  
_  
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor  
  
_Sai stood up, and walked towards the water. He knew he had no way of surviving it's turbulent waves, and swift current.  
  
Kami-sama, take me swiftly.  
_  
I dare you to move  
I dare you to move  
  
_After a few minutes of hesitation, he moved in further, and further into the water. Hearing a noise, however, in the forest, he stopped and turned around.  
_  
Like today never happened  
Today never happened  
  
_There stood a person, shining bright as the sun. It was impossible to tell any gender; all he knew was that this person was holy.  
  
Fujiwarano Sai. Do not take your life. Live on, and prosper.  
  
But how? how can I do that?  
  
Sai shivered. The icy water gnawed at his body._  
  
Maybe redemption is strong as the tide  
Maybe forgiveness is right where you're found  
  
_Leave this place. Start life anew elsewhere.  
  
Sai saw a smile emerge on the face of his rescuer, and that was enough to melt away all the frozen feeling water surrounding him. He found that he had left the water, and was reaching out towards his saviour.  
_  
Where can you run to escape from yourself?  
  
_The angel left him, and he remained alone, with his large white robe wet, and clinging to him.  
_  
Where you gonna go?  
Where you gonna go?  
  
_He removed his outer robe, and attempted to make himself look as common as possible. He didn't know how successful his change was, however he left his home by the river, and walked in the opposite direction of his past homes.  
  
As soon as he was out of the region, he came upon a small town. It was a quaint place, and immediatly he knew he would stay there.  
_  
Salvation is here.  
  
_Fujiwarano Sai dissapeared from all records, and a new farmer emerged in the quiet village he made his home. _  
  
I dare you to move..._


End file.
